Militants Keep Preventing Refugees From Leaving Rukban Camp - Russian Military

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Militants are still stopping refugees and their families from leaving Syria's Rukban camp and providing them false information about true intentions of Russia and Damascus, head of the Russian Defense Ministry's Center for Syrian Reconciliation Lt. Gen. Sergei Solomatin said on Friday.

According to Solomatin, two checkpoints were opened on Tuesday to facilitate the refugees' withdrawal from the Rukban camp, which lies in the area controlled by the United States. Soldiers from the Russian Reconciliation Center in Syria and crews of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent are working at the checkpoints, and are prepared to provide assistance for those who want to leave the camp, he added.

"At the same time, illegal armed groups operating in the area [spanning] 55 kilometers [34 miles], are preventing the refugees from leaving the Rukban camp, providing them misleading information about true intentions of the Russian side and Damascus," Solomatin told a briefing.

He called on the United States to put pressure on the leadership of opposition groups and prevent them from disrupting the evacuation of civilians from the camp.

READ MORE: US and Militants They Support Blocking Refugees' Exit From Rukban Camp — Lavrov

Syria has been in a state of civil war since 2011, with the government forces fighting against numerous opposition groups and militant and terrorist organizations. Russia, along with Turkey and Iran, is a guarantor of the ceasefire regime in Syria. Moscow has also been providing humanitarian aid to residents of the crisis-torn country.